Maximize Writing Time, Call for Submissions, Contests

Have you ever wondered what makes some writers more successful than others? One common denominator of successful writers is they produce a lot of writing. They write every day. One of the best ways to get in the habit of writing daily is to have a plan. Some writers set a goal of a certain number of hours per day. Others prefer a word or page amount. Here are some ideas to maximize your writing time.

1. Use bum glue. Glue your bum, not literally, to the chair and write. Writers write. There is no other way to get the words on paper or the screen. The more your write, the easier it gets.

2. Stop procrastinating. Set a writing goal and consistently work toward that goal. Staring at a blank computer screen or sheet of paper is intimidating. Every book begins with the first word. If you’re writing a chapter book or novel, break down the project into chapters and work through the story one chapter at a time. Begin with an outline. Outline each chapter. If you have never traveled from Monkey’s Eyebrow, Kentucky, to Frog Eye, Alabama, wouldn’t it be easier if you followed a map rather than guess the routes? Following an outline is like following a map through new territory. You have the options of choosing different routes and will get to your destination with fewer wrong turns.

3. Develop a schedule that fits your lifestyle. If you can write for 30 minutes every day at 4:15, use that time effectively. You may have a few minutes while you wait to pick up a child from softball practice to write or develop ideas.

4. Write when you don’t feel inspired. Some writers say they are inspired every morning at 8:00 whether they feel it or not. Don’t wait until you feel the urge to write. If you start writing, ideas will come.

5. Perseverance pays off. Remain persistent in your writing goals. Stephen King says talent is as common as table salt. Write consistently and hone your talent. Manuscripts will follow and you’ll be closer to reaching your goals.

Teachers, introduce a writing activity by holding up three pictures. Describe in detail each picture. If the picture is a dog chasing a boy, use descriptive language to express the action. Instead of saying, “The dog chased the boy,” provide details, such as “Sting, the wild-eyed, wild haired, wild barking dog of the new neighbor had just learned to chase the wind when Jesse saw the creature sprinting in his direction….”

Explain that writing details makes the story come alive. Give each student three different pictures and let them place the pictures in any order; then write a paragraph detailing the action in each.



Spruce Mountain Press Annual Past Loves Contest
To foster awareness of PAST LOVES DAY, SEPTEMBER 17, Spruce Mountain Press sponsors an annual Story Contest. The Contest, and the Day, offer an opportunity to acknowledge a truth that lingers in your heart.
No entry fee

Write your true story of an earlier love, in no more than 700 words. Tell us about someone whose memory brings a smile or a tear, or both.

First Prize: $100 Second Prize: $75 Third Prize: $50 Honorable Mention(s) Entries must be sent by midnight, August 17
http://gradlitorg.blogspot.com/2009/06/spruce-mountain-press-past-loves-day.html

Tenth Anniversary Novella Contest
No Restrictions: Editors say: "A novella, in order not to be a novel, should focus on one story and one set of characters. In order not to be a 'mere' short story, it should go into more depth, about both. What the heck is a novella, anyway?” Length is obviously the main criterion, i.e. the thing should be longer than a short story, and not so long as a novel.”
Deadline May 15
Details at http://www.failbetter.com/Novella.php?docheck=yes
CITY KIDZ WORLD MAGAZINE
http://www.citykidzworld.com/contests.php
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Mayor for the day writing contest
Create a fictitious village. Describe the village and write a short story about what you would do there if you were the mayor there for the day. Deadline May 1, 2010.
2nd -3rd grade - 100 words
4th -5th grade - 200 words
6th - 8th grade - 250 words
High School - 500 words
1st Place: A basket of school supplies, a lifetime subscription to City Kidz World magazine, and publication of the winning entry in the City Kidz World magazine and on www.citykidzworld.com.
2nd place: A second place certificate, a lifetime subscription to City Kidz World magazine, and publication of the winning entry in the City Kidz World magazine and on www.citykidzworld.com.
3rd place: A third place certificate, a lifetime subscription to City Kidz World magazine, and publication of the winning entry in the City Kidz World magazine on www.citykidzworld.com.

Kentucky Arts Council Grant, Southern KY Book Fest, Writing with Pictures, Contests

I’m happy to announce that I won a 2010 Individual Artist Professional Development grant from the Kentucky Arts Council [KAC], the state government agency responsible for developing and promoting support for the arts in Kentucky. KAC creates opportunities for people to find value in the arts, participate in the arts and benefit from the arts through programs, grants and services.

Saturday, I was a guest author at the Southern Kentucky Book Fest, another Kentucky treasure. Some of the headliners were Ann Bryn, [Cake Mix Doctor cookbooks], Lisa Scottoline [mysteries/thrillers], Laura Numeroff [If You Give a Mouse a Cookie], Mark Teague [illustrator of Dear Mrs. Laure], Kristin O’Donnell Tubb [Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different], Richard Paul Evans [The Chrismas Box], Alison Davis Lyon [illustrator of Halloween Alphabet],and numerous other authors and illustrators. I was no headliner, but I had fun signing copies of my latest book, Happy Birthday.

I talked with several authors about the state of the publishing industry. Here are some tidbits:

Be passionate about your work. Your passion will show in your writing and you will continue writing even when you feel like giving up.

Make a web presence even before you're published. Social media sites, such as web pages and blogs, are often checked by editors when making a decision on a publishing contract. A blog or web presence could tilt the vote in favor of offering a contract.

If you’re writing nonfiction, have your manuscript reviewed by a professional in the field in which you’re writing before you submit it to a publisher or agent.

Pass your manuscript to people outside your family and friends to have it critiqued before submitting it.

Middle grade and young adult fiction are popular with editors and agents at this time.

Picture books manuscripts are difficult to sell but great ones will find a home.

Spend as much energy and effort researching publishers as you do writing the book. Try to match the manuscript with the publisher.

Workshops are important in building a writing career. Not only do you learn the technical aspects of writing but you meet a network of professionals.

Develop the BIC [bottom in chair] habit and write daily.

For student writers:
Write a story with pictures. Have students cut out 6-10 pictures, more or less depending on class time and the age of students, from magazines, catalogs, and other sources. Explain that students will arrange pictures in a sequence and write a story with a beginning, middle, and ending to represent the pictures.

The Coffee Shop Chronicles
We’re putting together an anthology of one-hundred best stories, that all start or end with a cup of coffee. (Hey…you’re a writer…this should be easy.) It can be humorous and jittery, or about a life-changing event that is somehow linked to that magic brew. Did you propose over a cup of coffee, meet the love of your life or discover nuclear fission? Prime your boss for an overdue promotion and then seal the deal? Decide having one more kid was do-able? Plot the overthrow of the Chilean government? Finish the last chapter to that novel?
Whatever your story, we’d like to hear from you. Submit entries, from one paragraph to one page in length. Please include the name of your favorite coffee shop. All published entries will receive a twenty-five dollar gift certificate courtesy of your favorite coffee shop and A Word with You Press.

Closing date is May 1.
http://www.awordwithyoupress.com/titles/the-coffee-shop-chronicles/


2010 Robert Traver Fly-Fishing Writing Award
"A distinguished original essay or work of short fiction that embodies an implicit love of fly-fishing, respect for the sport and the natural world in which it takes place, and high literary values."
Award carries a $2,000 First Prize, from the John D. Voelker Foundation, sponsor of the award; a Second Place award of $750 will be included this year; Third Place is $250.
Deadline May 15.
Find details at http://www.flyrodreel.com/fly-fishing/robert-traver-fly-fishing-writing

Rejection, Writing End to Beginning, Call for Submissions

Rejections letters. Eeuuu, nobody likes them, but a few rejection letters specifically state the problems, such as The ending was not realistic. You now know where your story may be lacking and also more about the type of story the editor is selecting. Seriously consider the comments made by an editor. Editors know what manuscripts work for their publishing houses. The best rejection letters request you to submit a revised manuscript or offer to review some of your other manuscripts.

If rejection slips with no comments flow in like tidal waves, you may want to reevaluate the manuscript. Could the manuscript be lacking in quality? The sheer volume of manuscripts publishers receive is overwhelming and the cream of the crop rises to the top. We become so emotionally attached to our writing it is impossible to be subjective in evaluating our own work. Join a critique group and get professional feedback.

All rejections are not the same. Reflect on the number of rejections, the type of rejections, and the reasons for rejection. Correct the problem by revising your submission list of publishers, the cover/query letter, or the story itself; then resurrect the manuscript with another round of submissions. With a little reflection, you can take your story from rejection to selection.

Writing from End to Beginning

Students sometimes we have great ideas for stories but don’t know where the story should start. Create a plot outline and write the ending, then the middle and finish with the beginning. This activity encourages creative thought long before the first word is written.

Call for submissions:
Once Upon a Day
Deadline: May 15th.
Your protagonist is about to have a day. He doesn't know it yet, but it's going to be a day that, for him, will live in infamy. A day she will point to, years later, as the specific moment when something in her soul changed. It can be a teeny tiny change or it can be a ginormous change. But it has to occur in the light of day.
The first line of your story must begin with: The sun rose...
The last line of your story must end with: ...just as the sun went down.
That which occurs in between—be it drama, comedy, mystery, romance, fantasy, etc.—is entirely up to you. What changes your dawn character to the one we shall see at dusk?
Prize: $100, plus the story will be published in The Verb. More details at
http://www.readingwriters.com/contest.htm

A Cup of Comfort® has once again joined hands with REDBOOK magazine to sponsor a true story contest!

Enter the Cup of Comfort/REDBOOK Your Love Story Contest for a chance to win $1,000, have your story excerpted in REDBOOK magazine, and publish your story in A Cup of Comfort for Couples!

A Cup of Comfort® for Couples: (Call for Submissions)
Stories that celebrate what it means to be in love

This book will feature uplifting true stories with a balanced mix of tones—romantic, poignant, humorous—on a wide range of topics. Story Length: 1000–2000 words.

Call for Submission Deadline: April 20, 2010
Finalist Notification: June 15, 2010
Details at http://www.cupofcomfort.com/callforsubmissions

Rejection, Timed writing, Call for submissions

When I think of my early writing days--seven years to land the first contract; five years to get the second one--I realize that being a librarian and working with kids and books on a daily basis is what kept me inspired, along with the driving desire to write and get published. In twelve years I accumulated two contracts and a mountain of rejection letters. My career momentum has shifted to a higher speed since then, but each time I get a contract, a troublesome little question pops up like a jack-in-the-box and squeezes the life out my confidence: Will I ever get another contract? The doubts are there, but I don't dwell on them; instead I start writing a brand new something or other, either a picture or chapter book.

Rejection letters are never easy to read, but can offer some insight into what works in a manuscript and what does not. Ask yourself these questions: Did I target publishers that accept the genre of my manuscript? Did I research each publisher to determine that they did not already have a book on the same subject or presented in a similar format? Publishers don’t want two of their own books to compete in the marketplace. Was my cover/query letter error free? Did I capture the editor’s attention in the first sentence?

Let’s move on to informative rejection slips, those in which a personal note or letter states why the manuscript was not right for the publisher. The reason stated may be so vague you don’t have a clue as to why the story was rejected; however, if the editor took time from a busy schedule to write a personal note, you have made a positive impression. You’re doing something right. Some rejection slips are in the form of a checklist. What area was marked? That information may give a clue as to why your story didn’t work for that publisher.

Some rejection notes state that a similar story was recently accepted. From that information, you can infer that you’re on the right track with the subject matter or type of manuscript. Some may state the story was too slight. That often means the plot was not strong enough. Others may state that they felt no empathy for the main character. Reread the manuscript to determine how the editor came to such conclusions. If you can recognize the problem, you can find a way to fix it.
Part III of my article, From Rejection to Reflection to Selection, will follow next weeks.

Classroom timed writing:
Allow students to select a topic or title or character and give them a minute or two to think about what they will write. Explain that they do not begin writing until you say, “Go.” At that point they will have three minutes [more time if you choose] to write a paragraph. When you say “stop” students place pencils on their desks. Allow them to share their work. Provide additional timed writing sessions throughout they year. Notice how their writing becomes more creative as they become accustomed to writing in a short period of time.

Call for Submissions:

Carolrhoda. April 1, 2010 and ending April 30, 2010, I will be considering unsolicited complete YA [Young Adult] novels for Carolrhoda Lab. I am interested in YA novels only, including realistic, paranormal, dark fantasy, dystopian, etc. I am not interested in high fantasy. We do not publish graphic novels. For details check here. http://carolrhoda.blogspot.com/2008/12/submissions.html.

Friends of Acadia Nature Poetry Competition (no fee)
Postmark Deadline: April 30
Submissions are invited for the 2010 Friends of Acadia Poetry Competition. Established in 1998, this prize is presented biennially to promote and recognize distinctive nature poetry. The three top-ranked poems will be published in the Friends of Acadia Journal. (print and online), and awarded cash prizes by category ($350, $250, $150).
Details at http://www.friendsofacadia.org/events/poetrycompetition.shtml.

Rejection Letters/Revision/Character Development/Call for Submissions

In the world of manuscript submissions, two simple facts haunt writers of every genre:

Fact #1: Rejection pierces the skin and goes straight to the psyche like a poisoned arrow.

Fact #2: Prepare to be pierced.

If you submit manuscripts to publishers, you will receive rejection letters. The sting of rejection is so painful some writers quit writing altogether. Others fuss and fume but go right back to stringing together more words.

I’ve had two manuscripts accepted without receiving a single rejection: Happy Birthday, the Story of the World’s Most Popular Song and Trouble in Troublesome Creek. Both were requested by editors I’d worked with, and both required at least a couple rounds of revision. I’ve collected enough rejection letters from manuscripts of my published books to wallpaper my house; yet the stories eventually went to press.

If a rejection letter, or a basketful of them, takes a heavy toll on your emotional state, just remind yourself that Dr. Seuss and Stephen King collected a few rejections of their own, so you’re not in bad literary company. Most of all, realize that YOU were not rejected, the manuscript was. But why was the manuscript rejected? Could a rejection, or a series of rejections, shed light on the reason?

In today’s downtrodden economic climate, many publishers are not responding to unsolicited manuscripts, period. For those that respond, even with a one-size-fits-all form rejection, I give them a hearty thank you. Sometimes those form rejections have a written comment or two. For those, I give a heartier thank you, thank you, thank you. So why am I so thankful for a rejection of my manuscript? Actually, I’m not thankful for the rejection, but the acknowledgement, since I now know more about my manuscript.

Parts II and III of my article, From Rejection to Reflection to Selection, will follow the next two weeks.


Grab Bag

Teachers, gather an assortment of small items, such as marbles, pens, and ribbons, and place in a bag. Each student reaches into the bag and pulls out three items. The goal is to write a story about a character who treasured these items. Consider the following:
A. Why were the objects were important to the character?
B. Where did the character live?
C. Did the character need the objects to survive?
D. Did the object have monetary or emotional value or both?


Call for submissions:

"*The Christmas Spirit* is a book project contracted with St. Martin's Press for the fall of 2011, but they want the completed manuscript by the spring of 2010. Debbie Macomber has agreed to write the foreword. We seek *true* stories that emphasize the significance of the Christmas season. We get caught up in the busyness of the season--the shopping, the family drama, and the event planning, and we lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas. Sometimes, what some call a twist of fate, we're able to step back and grasp the real meaning of Christmas and our lives are enriched. These are the kind of stories we want." Pays: "a $50 honorarium and at least one free copy of the book." Deadline: May 1, 2010. Visit http://www.christmasspiritbook.com for more info.

Laura Crawford, Nonfiction, Contests

This week I have a guest author, Laura Crawford, who has written a fact-filled and beautiful picture book, The American Revolution From A to Z. Pelican Publishing Company, 2009. Grades 2-5. ISBN: 1-58980-515-1.

In The American Revolution From A to Z, history comes to life with the ABCs of America's fight for freedom. From B's Battles of Lexington and Concord to H's John Hancock, this alphabet book provides an exciting and interesting history of the American Revolution. The colorful pages feature George Washington, the Redcoats, the Constitution, and Mary Hays, who brought pitchers of water to the soldiers. Female readers will like learning about Betsy Zane and Deborah Sampson, two brave young women. Each page has detailed, lively illustrations and fun facts about the war that earned the United States its independence from England.

As writers, we need to tap into storytelling when we tackle a nonfiction book. The facts must be included in a way kids will enjoy. Add the OOH, AH, EW, PHEW, or COOL factor and you’ll hook readers from the first paragraph. A story about llamas will interest kids, but if you tell them llamas spit at people and often hit the mark, you added the EW! factor that will make them want to read more. An interesting format is another way to tackle nonfiction storytelling. Instead of a straight narrative, present the subject matter in the form of a diary, top ten list, or other interest-capturing design. That’s just what Laura Crawford did when she used an ABC format to tell her story, and the manuscript landed her a contract.

Teachers, Laura offers this classroom activity for students to create their own books:

Make your own ABC book for any topic. Staple 30 pages together. The first and last pages will be the covers. The second page will be the title page, with a dedication. On each of the following pages, write a letter of the alphabet. You can write in cursive, print or calligraphy (like in my book). You can research your own topic by looking through your science, social studies, or other textbook. A good place to start is the index! Remember not to copy directly from the book-you need to write the story in your own words!

The cover and additional pages will be set up this way:

[Cover page]
The ABC Book
of
_____________




Written by _________________
Illustrated by _______________


[First page]
A is for______________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________



Contests

Sylvia K. Burack Scholarship Award Contest
Are you age 18 or older and a full-time undergraduate student at a university or college in the U.S. or Canada? Enter The Writer's 2010 Sylvia K. Burack Scholarship Award essay contest! This year's theme: Select a work of fiction or poetry that has influenced the way you view the world and the way you view yourself. Discuss the work and explain how it affected you." The winner receives $500, publication in The Writer and a year's subscription to the magazine. New deadline: April 1. http://www.writermag.com/~/link.aspx?_id=90A4FC95DFB44398A09BD9C120E02698&_z=z


Haiku Competition for High School Students
Entries must be received by this date: March 25th.
Contest offers six prizes of $50 for the best haiku by students in grades 7-12 as of the previous September (no homeschooled students). Send 1-3 haiku, typed in triplicate on 3"x5" cards, with author's name and contact information on only one copy. No simultaneous submissions. Sponsored by the Haiku Society of America.
http://www.hsa-haiku.org/virgilioawards/virgilio.htm

Environment, Theme, Contests

This week I’m continuing to spotlight themes in children’s literature. The themes of The Munched-Up Flower Garden and Trouble in Troublesome Creek focus on the environment and ecology. Children's books need strong, universal themes. And what is a universal theme? It’s an underlying message—subtle, not preachy—that children everywhere can respond to.

Many children’s books deal with such universal themes as loneliness, new school, new pet, new baby, moving, and friendship. These themes can work whether the characters are people or animals.

Don’t worry about developing a never-before-seen theme. Instead, work toward a fresh and unusual approach of a tried-and-true theme. Think of the books you read as a child or to your child. Throw around ideas, mix them up, and turn them topsy-turvy as you place your unique spin on the tale. Have fun writing a new story with an old theme.

Classroom activity:

Promote student observation and descriptive language through the sense of touch. Allow students to explore various textures of items found in the environment. Examples: ground coffee, pebbles, sand, leaves, twigs, tempera paint, grass, string, pieces of construction paper, crumpled paper, cotton balls, bits of cloth, and other convenient items. Students sort items into groups by similar texture and discuss the way the items feel: This feels smooth or this feels rough. Use a variety of descriptive terms: bumpy, soft, silky, coarse, fluffy, etc. Students will glue items of a similar texture onto construction paper to make a collage. Combine the collage pages into a book and again discuss the textures of the different collages. Students may label each collage with a descriptive word or phrase.

No-Fee Contests:
1. Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest
http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/wergle/we_guidelines.php
Deadline: April 1, 2010

"Now in its ninth year. We seek today's best humor poems. Total cash prizes have been increased to $3,600, with a top prize of $1,500."

2. The Smories Prize
Prize: $1,500.
Submission is free. All rights will remain with the writer. Entries accepted from anywhere in the world.
Not be longer than 1,000 words.
Text only, in English.
Must be fiction for children from 3 to 8 years old.
Poetry & rhyming stories may also be submitted.
Deadline for this month: 31st March 2010
All other details on the site: http://www.smories.com

3. The 4th Annual Cheerios® New Author Contest will be open for entries on 3/15/2010. For more information on the Cheerios New Author Contest, please visit www.SpoonfulsofStories.com